ConocoPhillips CEO Is Confident
On Joint Venture With Lukoil

By

Russell Gold

Updated March 22, 2007 8:57 p.m. ET

ConocoPhillips Chairman and Chief Executive James Mulva said this week he was confident he would finalize a joint venture with Russian oil giant OAO Lukoil in the next year. The project, however, won't necessarily be in oil-rich Russia.

"We have some interesting things we can do together inside and outside Russia that hopefully in the next year or so will be announced," he said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. ConocoPhillips has amassed a 20% stake in Lukoil, the largest crude-oil producer in...